Tag: Restaurant

A Post-Shopping Lunch Date At Bill’s

I’ve been to Bill’s Restaurant on more than one occasion, my fist encounter being in York a couple of years ago and it was whilst there, that I first tried one of the amazing Bill’s breakfasts. Since then, I’ve been back to Bill’s numerous times for lunch whilst in London but funnily enough, I’d still never been to a Bill’s Restaurant in the place where I actually live, Manchester…until now.

The second Bill’s to come to Manchester opened late last year at intu Trafford Centre. Last Saturday I finally went along to this particular Bill’s with my friend Chloe, who was new to the restaurant.

I always love introducing my friends to eateries that they haven’t tried before. Knowing that Chloe is vegetarian is something that I think about when I take her to somewhere new for food, and although Bill’s doesn’t have the largest selection of meat free dishes, I knew that there were a few meals on the menu that she’d enjoy.

If you’re not familiar with Bill’s Restaurants, a particular aesthetic trademark would be the rustic interior design. I like how Bill’s has a distinct shabby chic style about it and whilst sticking to its barn-like wood features and up-cycled tins, it has an element of glam with chandeliers here and there and the odd plush chair.

We decided to get a bottle of house white to accompany our meal and to start I went for the crispy crumbed halloumi, which I have to say was delicious and Chloe went for the white and rye sourdough.

For the main I went for the beer-battered cod and Chloe went for the halloumi and hummus burger, which looked amazing. I probably should have opted for a slightly smaller starter, as by time it came to our main meals, I was already starting to feel somewhat full. However the beer-battered cod was cooked perfectly and tasted so good, so I managed to get through the most of it, leaving only a few fries.

After cleaning off our mains, Chloe and I were left feeling full and content but with the dessert menu just staring at me (yes it was me, Miss Piggy, eager for dessert), I couldn’t help but not go for the blackberry and caramel Eton Mess.

We decided to share the dessert, which was definitely a smart move (I was already contemplating unbuttoning my jeans by this point). However the Eton Mess was certainly worth every mouthful. It was a truly tasty treat to finish a great three course meal.

Aside from the food being delicious, the service was also excellent. From being greeted at the front of the restaurant on arrival to leaving at the end, we were provided with great service by a bunch of super friendly staff. It was great to see that even whilst we were in there and the place was moderately full (this was around 2pm), that the service was still of a great standard and our courses each arrived in good time. I’ll definitely be heading back to this Bill’s again soon. Maybe next time however I’ll just stick to two course, but then again, who can say no to that fabulous dessert…Mmm Eton Mess!

Samio x

Thanks to the guys at Bill’s Trafford for providing us with this complimentary three course meal.

January 22, 2016
French Style & Taste – Balsamik Launch at 63 Degrees

There is something about French style that is so simple yet chic and so when I was invited along to the UK launch of online French brand Balsamik, I was excited to go along and see what their new A/W collection had to offer.

For the event, myself and a few other bloggers were invited to 63 Degrees, French fine dining restaurant in Manchester. We were treated to a delicious two course meal (and plenty of wine), after being shown a few of the key pieces from Balsamik’s newest collection.

There was a lot of monochrome in the collection and staple pieces that you can build lots of different outfits with. I like this sort of thing as it reminds me of what I’m currently trying to do with my own wardrobe.

I really liked how the theme of the event ran right through with the food and I was pleased with my choices of starter and main. I went for the Organic poached quail egg to start, followed by the pan fried sea bass and mashed potatoes with basil.

I soon got chatting to a couple of lovely bloggers (L’Oréal on the left & Ellie in the middle) and after our meals we took the opportunity to try on some of the items from the collection.

I had instantly been drawn to this simple yet elegant wrap coat and so I had to try it on. I have to admit I was quite surprised by the garments when I saw them in person. From what I had seen online I felt that the brand represented a slightly older age range than myself. However, after having the chance to have real look at some of the garments, I could definitely see that a lot of these pieces could be worn by a wide range of ages, old and young.

It’s pieces like this coat which I feel are timeless in your wardrobe and could easily be worn by a 40 year old or a 20 year old as it really has no age limit, which is something I really liked about a lot of their pieces I looked at.

In terms of my own style, for the event I went for quite a simple yet chic outfit. I wore a white oversized shirt, black biker jacket, high waisted ripped skinny jeans and a pair of red suede heels for a masculine meets feminine look… It’s also quite coincidental how well the Balsamik wrap coat went with my outfit, I may have to invest! I’m currently trying to simplify my own style and so I definitely appreciated the French inspiration.

Shop my outfit:
White shirt – Gap (similar here)
Biker jacket – Zara (similar here)
Jeans- Topshop
Red suede heels – Aldo (similar here)

Balsamik items featured in this post:
Wrap coat
Monochrome jacquard cardigan
Ankle boots

Thanks to L’Oréal for the outfit snaps.

What are your thoughts on French style?

Samio x

September 21, 2015
Burrito Party Challenge at Revolución de Cuba

Revolución De Cuba in Manchester is a restaurant and bar I know all too well. I’ve enjoyed many a meal in there, sipped on numerous cocktails and partied the night away there – on several occasions… It’s a place I’ve often gone to enjoy good food, some really good cocktails and they often have a live band playing which always crates a great atmosphere. This occasion was no exception and this time I was invited along with a few fellow bloggers to take part in a burrito and mojito masterclass and challenge.

On arrival we were welcomed with Cuba Libres and nibbles and it wasn’t long before chef Jaymi was giving us our burrito making masterclass…

Of course being a chef, Jaymi made it look so easy and for most people it probably actually is, however for me, the challenge proved all too much and as you can see, my burrito didn’t quite turn out how I had hoped.

It’s probably no surprise that I didn’t win the burrito challenge, however looks can be deceiving and my burrito actually tasted rather good (if I do say so myself).

Emma’s creation (left) is an example of how a burrito should look and mine is, let’s just say, a unique creation.

After a few more cocktails it was time for the mojito making masterclass and challenge. This time we were expertly shown how to make two types of mojito – a classic and a Cuban. Then it was our turn to get behind the bar and have a go at doing it ourselves. The challenge was to see who could make a mojito in the quietest amount of time.

I decided I’d mix it up a little by making a passion fruit mojito. My time was 1:10 but unfortunately I was beat, with the quickest time being 55seconds. My passion fruit mojito was pretty tasty though – I know what I’ll be making on the weekend.

After our burrito and mojito masterclass and challenges had finished, a few of us hung around to enjoy some more cocktails. I decided to try something different and go for a pineapple and chilli flavoured mojito and it was really good!

Overall the evening was really good fun. I’d be love to go back and do this or something similar again with friends, as it makes a change to your average evening eating or drinking out and it would be perfect for a birthday or special occasion with a group of pals.

Have you ever tried a cocktail/food masterclass or something similar?

Samio x

July 30, 2015
Tattu Restaurant Manchester

It’s not often I dedicate an entire blog post to one restaurant but for a place as pretty as this, I had to make an exception…

Last Wednesday I finally got to go to Tattu Chinese Restaurant and Bar, situated in Spinningfields, Manchester. The place has only been open for a short period of time and I couldn’t wait to try it out. I finally took the trip with a few of my girlfriends and my friend Rae was also up from London, which was an added bonus.

First off, the place is visually stunning. The décor is slightly ‘oriental’ (without sounding too vague) and the bar area, as you first walk in, has a slight rustic nautical twist with the theme of tattoo art running throughout.

The bar area is situated downstairs and the faint scent of incense makes it the perfect place to sit and relax with a pre drink before heading upstairs to dine.

When you do make your way upstairs, you’re in for a real treat, as you enter a fabulously decorated indoor Chinese garden.

In terms of the décor, I think the images speak for themselves and show you how beautiful the place is but let that not distract from the food, which I have to say was as equally as impressive!

The waiters were really friendly and attentive and as we were spoilt for choice, they helped us with our final decisions on what to order.

To start, my friend Rae and I went for Dim Sum to share and opted for the Chicken Truffle Shumai and the Chilean Sea Bass Spinach Parcels.

Between our whole table we ordered so much that we began to pick and share each others starters. My favourites were the Chicken Truffle Shumai, which we ordered and the Mushroom Spring Rolls which Jazmine and Chloe went for.

For the main dishes, again Rae and I shared and we went for the Black Angus Fillet and the Chilli Salt Squid with a side of Steamed Mixed Vegetables.

The Black Angus Fillet had been highly recommend and I have to agree that it was extremely good. It was served rare (just how I like it), on a bed of asparagus and the caramel soy it was served with had the most incredible flavour (I’m salivating just thinking about it).

The Chilli Salt Squid was also a tasty treat but the Black Angus Fillet was definitely my favourite.

The food looks deceptive and by this point we were actually quite full but not too full for dessert, which we were all excited to get stuck into.

Again Rae and I shared and for dessert we ordered The Silk Road, consisting of Strawberry, lychee and rose and the Cherry Blossom with Chocolate, miso and cherry.

Both desserts were presented fabulously and tasted really good too. My favourite was probably Cherry Blossom but both desserts combined made the perfect end to a delicious meal.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Tattu. It’s certainly not your typical Chinese restaurant and I would certainly recommend it to those looking for more of a fine dining experience. This is the perfect place to go for a special occasion or when you fancy something different and I would definitely go again.

Samio x

June 3, 2015